Fridays With You
by TheQueenWriter
Summary: Can two people fall in love in the laundromat?
1. Chapter 1

So I made it through college, finally had a decent job and yet I was still hauling my dirty underwear to the local laundromat. You'd think that at age 27 I'd have my shit together enough to at least own a washer, but no. And the awesome apartment that I rented didn't include a musty old basement with it's own washers.

That's why it's officially eleven twenty seven pm on a Friday and I am walking down the still bustling sidewalks of Chicago. The summer heat radiated from the concrete beneath my feet and the humid air caused my hair to cling to the back of my neck.

I had Weezer in my left ear, the earbud to my right tucked down the front of my shirt. The old mesh laundry sack was tossed over my shoulder as I made my way past a tempting street vendor, mmmmm street tacos at midnight, my favorite. But the fact that I had dirty underwear pressed against my back sort of killed the moment and so onward I trudged.

The building that housed the many washers and dryers was actually very clean, modern and well lit. Nothing like the old seedy joint I used to frequent back in college. At least here you didn't feel like you needed to go straight home and shower in bleach for fear of contracting some weird disease.

Pulling out the small plastic credit card that was used to pay for laundry soap and to activate the machines, I swiped it once for a rolling cart, tossed my bag into it and made my way across the nearly empty room to an open washer.

Using two washers I separated, loaded and then settled in for the long haul with my kindle.

When the buzzer went off for my delicates, I slowly dug through the pieces I'd washed to put my bras aside to air-dry. Walking across the aisle to a dryer, my panties in hand, is when I first noticed him.

He was sitting on a bench in the next aisle over facing me, a tattered paperback novel in his hands; his legs stretched way out into the walkway. I blinked once as I realized I was staring and awkwardly holding my wet underwear in my hands as if I were offering them to him as a gift.


	2. Smile

I'd seen her twice at the laundromat and made the command decision that laundry night would now be Fridays. I only decided this after checking her ring finger, no need to change shit up for naught.

A new washer had been delivered to my condo a week ago but there was no hot brunette holding wet panties in my laundry room. So I continued to venture out and pay to do a load of clothes.

She was reading on a kindle, obviously slightly embarrassed for showing off her pink lacy things, and didn't notice my approach.

"Hey."

Her large brown eyes met mine shock and horror written all over her face.

"Awww damn." I heard her mutter.

"Mind if I -" Using my hand I made a sweeping gesture of the empty bench beside her.

"No. Not at all." She shoved a stray strand of dark hair behind her ear. "Go ahead, make yourself at home."

"I'm Edward."

"Bella."

"Nice to meet you, Bella." Eying her kindle I smiled. "What are you reading?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Well, nothing as notable as The Kite Runner." She nodded at the book in my hands. "Not that I haven't read it, well, I haven't read Kite Runner, but I've read other books of substance. Just because a girl likes to indulge in a little romantic novel at the laundromat doesn't mean she's a lazy reader."

Totally amused by her long rambling explanation, I stared, transfixed on the way her upper lip curled off to the right when she pursed her lips.

"Hey, no judgment from me. I too partake in some lazy reading from time to time. I have a real fondness for comic books."

"Oh good." She rolled her eyes as she avoided my gaze.

"So, as cheesy at this is about to sound, do you come here often?"

Bella stared at me for a moment and then busted out laughing.

"Oh yeh, that was high on the cheese meter." She made like she was wiping tears from her eyes and smiled. "Friday night is my hot date night. Me, my kindle, and as you saw, my underwear."

My dryer buzzed and I silently cursed myself for having started before she got here.

"That's me."

"Okay."

"It was nice to meet you, Bella."

"You too, Edward."

I moved to stand, my book dangling from my fingers.

"Maybe I'll see you next Friday. I'll be the guy reading Spiderman."

This brought another soft laugh to her lips.

"I'll be the one reading War and Peace."

I whistled low. "Well damn, I better bring a few comics to compete with that."

* * *

**A/N**  
This story is going to be very short chapters that take place over the course of many Friday nights at the Laundromat. Strictly conversations and observations between two strangers as a friendship and perhaps something more, blooms.

It is intended to be short and to the point.

xOx  
Q


	3. (If You're Wondering If I Want You To)

I tossed my old mesh laundry bag into the metal basket and wheeled it to the back wall of washers. As I approached I noticed that he was sitting on a bench against the wall reading and a slight ping of nerves hit me low in my stomach.

"Spiderman." I laughed.

Edward looked up at me and grinned. His teeth were white and straight, his eyes a brilliant green.

"Told ya so." He shrugged his broad shoulders.

"Guess you did."

I began filling two washers adding soap and softener.

"Where's your copy of War and Peace? Too heavy to lug all the way?"

"I didn't want to show off." I winked and sat down next to him.

He smelled really nice like vanilla and citrus. His leather messenger bag sat half open and I could see several issues of Spiderman, a laptop and beef jerky.

"So what did you bring to read tonight, Bella?"

I pulled out an old copy of Little Women and patted the cover.

"It's a favorite."

"Now I look like a total slacker reader."

"Oh how the tables have turned."

"Have no fear!" He reached into his bag and pulled out another comic handing it to me. "I have for you a Spiderman as well."

I took the comic and flipped through it. "I've never read a comic book before."

"What? I find it hard to believe that anyone in this day and age hasn't picked up a comic of some sort."

"I guess I was just never into them."

"But you do know Spiderman, right?" He implored.

"Of course." I snorted. "Just because I never read the comics doesn't mean I haven't seen the movies. Andrew Garfield is hot."

"That's what you get from Spiderman? Andrew Garfield is hot?" Shaking his head in mock horror. "I'm disappointed."

"I never claimed to be a huge superhero fan."

"We're going to have to work on that."

I laughed. "If you don't mind my asking, how old are you, Edward?"

"I'm twenty eight. You?"

"Twenty seven."

We sat quietly for a minute.

"Married?" He asked.

"Me?" I laughed. "No. Not even close."

He nodded.

"Are you?"

"Nope. Apparently no one wants to marry a guy who still reads comic books and hangs out at the laundromat on Friday nights."

"There's a lot to be said for the laundromat on Friday night."

"I quite agree." His lips quirked up on one side and my toes curled. Edward was definitely easy on the eyes.

We sat in companionable silence, each of reading from our Spiderman comics for twenty minutes. I pulled out a butterscotch candy from my purse and offering him one as well.

"Don't mind if I do." He popped the hard candy into his mouth and grinned again. "Love these, haven't had one in years."

"They're my favorite."

"Well, thank you for sharing, Bella."

"You're quite welcome."

We folded our dry clothes together a while later and as I was packing up Edward leaned into me conspiratorially.

"Meet me here, next Friday, eleven thirty," He dropped another Spiderman comic on top of my clean laundry. "Speak not of this to anyone."

He took my hand in his and tingles ran straight up my arm, I watched in shock as he pressed his lips to the back of my hand and then smiled.

"I'll be here."

Doing laundry had just become the most appealing part of my week.


	4. Don't Let Go

She walked in wearing grey yoga pants and a cropped white t-shirt that bared one slender, tan, shoulder to the world. Her dark, golden brown hair was intricately braided and held in place by a pink rubber band. She wore no makeup, no jewelry, just ear buds, one dangled freely down the front of her shirt. 

She had an air of carefree happiness about her and I was addicted to it already. Her dark eyes scanned the room and when they met mine, she pushed her wire basket my way, smiling brightly.

"Bella."

"Edward."

Without waiting she dug into a bag that she pulled from her mesh laundry hamper, producing a large tattered paperback.

"Turns out, I have read a comic." She handed me an old copy of Calvin Hobbes and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Ahhh, I see, the human boy and his imaginary tiger friend. Very nice." I flipped the cover open and saw her name, Bella Swan, scribbled in green crayon. "You've had this for a really long time."

"Yeh, my dad gave it to me when I was playing library one weekend with a friend. I needed more than just a few Dr. Seuss."

"Agreed. Although Dr. Seuss does have his finer points, one cannot simply run an entire library on _Fox in Socks_. But I must admit, I am a huge fan of _Bartholomew and the Oobleck._"

"You like classic Seuss?" Bella dug again inside her bag and pulled out the Spiderman comic I had lent to her last week.

"What, you think just because I read comics I can't enjoy the _classics_?"

"I didn't mean-" Bella's face lifted to mine and she frowned, "You're messing with me."

"Eh."

Laughing, she leaned in smacked my arm lightly.

"I liked the Spiderman comic. I really like the character of Gwen Stacy more than Mary Jane."

"Ohhhh, this is a fight you don't want to start with the wrong people."

"I take it people are very protective of their comic heroes and their ladies."

"We most certainly are, don't forget it."

Raising an eyebrow in my direction she rolled her eyes and grinned again.

"Gotta start this load." She produced yet another mesh bag, this one much smaller than the one that held all of her clothes, filled with all sorts of lace in pretty yellows and blues. Panties.

"You uh, wash your panties in a bag?" Pink colored her cheeks and I couldn't help but press, "The last time I didn't see them in a little bag."

"That's one of the reasons they are in the bag. Also because I don't want my bras to snag on any other clothing."

Bras, panties and Bella Swan.

I quickly looked around the room and wondered if the older lady in the corner would notice if I laid Bella across the bench and had my way with her.

"So, what do you do when you're not at the laundromat?" Bella looked over her shoulder at me while shoveling clothing into the washer.

"Are you asking if I'm gainfully employed?"

She shrugged that bare shoulder once. "Just wondering what you do when you're not here."

"You wonder about me?"

"I mean," she closed the washer and turned to face me, "I guess so. I'm not going to lie, you're interesting to me."

"I find you interesting as well, Bella." At least I wasn't alone here.

"So," she pushed away from the wall of washers and sat next to me, "What do you do, Edward?"

My thoughts tried to scream out, _Are you sure you want to get closer, man? Last time was a fucking disaster._

"I make beer."

"Like, you sit at home with a kit and brew beer in your seedy little apartment?" Bella's smile was slowly driving me crazy.

"No. Like, I own and run a brewery with two friends."

"Wow. That's impressive. I'm sure you all worked your asses off."

"That we did."

"So, how does a business owner not own a washer and dryer?"

"Well, my set shit out on me, I was waiting for replacements but I met this really cool girl and laundry with her is much more fun."

"Oh."

Maybe this whole conversation wasn't a great idea.

Rushing on, I continued, "Your turn, what do you do when you're not at the local laundry washing your unmentionables in a mesh bag?"

"I'm a vet tech."

"Really?"

"Yeh, is that very weird?"

I shook my head, "No, I've just never really met a vet tech before."

Bella's shoulders moved in a deep sigh, "I love animals. I don't have any pets of my own, but I love all of my patients as if they were."

"What's the craziest animal someone's brought in?"

"That's easy; I once had a little boy, about six years old, bring in a garden snail. He said it wasn't feeling well and he needed medicine for it. He was really upset when our suggestion for the snail to get better was to let him go free. But he did it, right out in a small garden on the side of our building."

"Awww, poor dude."

"Yeh, but that snail was definitely better off in the garden than in his old shoe box."

I was definitely not ready for the night to be over and for Bella and I to go our separate ways for another week.

"See you next Friday?"

"You know it, Bella."

"Good."

I watched as she disappeared around a corner at the end of the street before walking in the opposite direction.


	5. Stolen

On Wednesday I caught myself daydreaming about what Friday night would bring.

On Thursday I had butterflies in my stomach when I tried to go to bed.

On Friday morning I skipped my morning coffee because I had enough jittery energy flowing through my limbs to keep a linebacker on his toes for a week.

That energy carried me through the day and into the evening when I changed clothes six times trying to decide what to wear to go do my laundry. I laughed at my frazzled hair in the mirror and decided it wasn't all too important.

The nights were starting to cool slightly, summer was on her way out and soon the leaves would change and the breeze would become crisp enough for sweaters.

Without trying to seem eager, I grabbed a basket and dropped my mesh laundry sack inside it. When I turned to head to the back of the machines, my heart sunk. He wasn't there.

With my hopes dashed, I trudged slowly to a machine going through the motions of adding soap, softener and clothes. I pressed the start button and rested my forehead against the washer door. How had I become so attached to someone I barely knew?

I startled when a single white daisy floated under my chin. Turning slowly, I came face to face to with Edward, a half-cocked smile played across his face.

"Hi."

"Sorry I'm late." He held up the flower again, "For you."

I took the slender stem in my now shaky fingers and smiled.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure."

The heat from his body so close to my own warmed me, his citrus and vanilla scent made my head swirl; any coherent thought I may have had ran off when he reached up and brushed a strand of my hair away from my forehead.

"Bella?"

"Yeh?" I felt my throat tighten and my heart jumped against my ribs.

"Do you mind much if our first kiss is in a laundromat?"

His green eyes grew dark and I was having a hard time looking away. The butterflies were back in full force.

"Not so much."

"Okay."

His shoulders shifted closer, his warm fingers touched my skin, a light brush against the side of my neck and then up to my cheek. My hand squeezed around the small flower he had given me, I could hear nothing but the fierce throbbing of my pulse in my ears.

His eyes stayed on mine as his lips brushed the corner of my mouth. I sucked in a shaky breath of air at the contact, his five o'clock shadow rough on my skin. And then he kissed me. Really, truly, kissed me. It was a kiss that put all of the kisses I'd ever had and all of the kisses I'd ever read about to shame. How did such a thing really exist?

My skin hummed, my lips parted and Edward's teeth pulled gently at my lower lip. I stepped easily into the warmth of his body; his arm circled my waist and pulled me tight into his chest.

"Ahem!"

I pulled back from Edward at the sound of an irritated voice. His arm still circled my waist, not letting me fun far.

"Yes?" Edward looked at the older woman.

"How's about ya'll not be doin' that up in here." The woman's voice rasped out. "Go getcha a room or somthin'."

"I'm very sorry if we've offended you, Ma'am. I just got carried away."

"Yes, well, keep it in your pants, kid. 'Specially in public, don't want to getch' yaself arrested."

I felt my cheeks blister with heat and embarrassment. Edward's fingers pressed firm against my back, his palm heavy and hot against the cotton of my shirt.

"No, Ma'am, we wouldn't want that. I hope you have a lovely evening." Edward smiled politely.

I watched as the older woman shook her head and walked off to collect her things from a dryer.

"Close call." Edward grinned.

"That was.. something." I really had no words for what had just happened. My mom had always told me, _'Some day you'll just know'_; I'd never really understood what that meant until just now.

Right now I knew that everything was about change.


	6. Summer Skin

My intention had not been to accost Bella against the washing machines, but when she turned to look at me, something in her eyes, her face, nearly brought me to my knees.

I'd only ever had one serious relationship, I liked to work, I liked to be single, I loved my freedom. But there, in that one moment, everything changed. I wanted her more than the morning sky wanted the sun to rise again.

Her cheeks were pink and she pulled at her lower lip with two fingers.

"Sorry about that." I lifted a strand of her hair from her shoulder and twisted it between my fingers. "Probably should have made sure we were alone."

"Probably." She whispered and looked down at her shoes.

Maybe I'd read her wrong, but I could have sworn she was on the same page.

I tipped her chin back so that I could see her face, "You okay?"

"Oh, yeh. Yeh, I'm okay. Just a little.. I dunno, shocked?"

"Shocked?"

Bella nodded her head and I stroked my fingertips across her cheek, enjoying the way her body moved closer to mine at the touch.

"I just didn't expect it to be like that."

"What? All mountains moving, fireworks and chills?" I smiled slowly.

"Yes. All of that." She eyed me speculatively, "Are you making fun of me?"

"Not all, Bella."

"Oh."

"Tell ya what, you meet me here, Monday night. Let's say, seven?" She nodded once. "Don't bring your dirty clothes." I laughed. "Just you."

"Okay. I can do that. But what-"

My finger rested against her lips silencing her question.

"I promise you the best laundromat date yet."

Bella laughed, her eyes sparkled in the halogen lights.

"You know, somehow I don't doubt that."

"Good." And because I couldn't stop myself, I leaned in and tasted her berry-sweetened lips once more. "And keep wearing whatever it is that you've got on your lips." I could hardly hear myself over the loud buzz of the washer, but again she nodded, her large brown eyes on mine.

"I should, um, probably do this." She pointed at the washer and I stepped back to give her room. This was going to kill me but I wanted it so bad. I wanted her. And I was willing to do it the right way.

The jeans she wore tonight had paint splattered across her ass and the backs of her thighs.

"You paint?"

Bella glanced at me over her shoulder, "No. Why?"

I pointed at her and shrugged, "You have blue and white paint on your ass."

"Oh!" She laughed and went back to moving her clothes to the dryer, "I was helping my mom paint walls at my parents' house. She is forever changing up her walls. And furniture. It's a miracle my dad hasn't cut her off yet."

"So, your parents are pretty cool, huh?"

"Yeh, I guess." Bella closed the dryer door, inserted her pay card and started the machine. "My dad is a chef, loves to cook, and loves to boss people around. At the same time, he's got his head in the clouds, a total romantic at heart, just like my mom." She grinned.

"And between the chef and the decorator came the vet."

"Guess so." She smiled. "And your parents?"

"My parents are crazy, like two teenagers still." We sat on the padded bench next to each other. "My mom is a designer. She loved handbags so much, she decided to create her own. My dad is a pediatric heart surgeon."

"Woah. That's impressive."

"He loves what he does, feels passionate about his choice in life."

"Any siblings?"

"No. Just me. I do have a cousin that I grew up with; Emmett is like a brother, we started the brewery together. You?"

"Nope. Just me. And unlike you, no cousin to call brother or sister."

"Well that's a shame."

"Eh. I was spoiled with love and cookies growing up, and I have a really great best friend. Rose and I have known each other since we were eight. Her dad was in the military and they moved around a lot. We stayed friends through letters and then emails and summer visits."

"That's cool."

"I think so."

And just like that, the time flew by and I was watching her walk off in the opposite direction down the sidewalk once more.


	7. Believe

Was I supposed to dress up? Should I just wear jeans? I threw myself on my unmade bed with a loud sigh.

"This is impossible." I muttered, "I should have asked him exactly what we were doing. I'm not good at this shit, I don't date." I shut my eyes and took a deep breath before sitting up and wandering back to the small closet. Digging for a minute I pulled out a deep, pink, button down blouse and a black, high-waisted, flouncy skirt that fell just above my knees. I paired the outfit with an old pair of strappy heels and stood in front of the crooked mirror on the back of my closet door inspecting the look I'd chosen. Simple, sweet, I twisted and looked at the back over my shoulder, damn, my legs looked good in these shoes.

In a moment of absurd confidence, I unbuttoned the top three buttons on my blouse, the small elephant charm I wore around my neck played peekaboo in the fabric. My hair was pulled back in a messy bun and I actually took some time with my eye makeup.

Using my phone, I took a photo of my reflection and sent it off to Rose for approval.

**Rosie**- _Fuck hot, lady! Knock 'em dead. Can't wait to hear about your night. xoxox_

Grinning with excitement, I grabbed a small black handbag and filled it with essentials, taking one final peek at myself in the mirror, I left the small apartment and walked the three blocks over to the laundromat.

I turned the final corner only half a block from the laundromat and my heart skipped a beat when I saw Edward waiting out front. He looked so handsome as he peeked at his watch and twirled a small bouquet of wildflowers in his other hand.

"Hi." I smiled when he lifted his gaze to mine; his clear green eyes sparkled in the streetlights.

"Bella, you look absolutely stunning."

"I could say the same for you." He wore black pants, a grey button down shirt with the top button open and pair of black dress shoes.

"These are for you." Edward handed me the bouquet of vibrant flowers.

"Thank you."

We stood staring at each other for a minute before he took my hand and smiled again.

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." I laughed and let out a breath that I didn't realize I'd been holding.

We walked around the side of the laundromat to a back entrance.

"Ummm- " I eyeballed the old steel door.

"Trust me?"

"Yes."

"Well then," he held the door and I stepped inside. The room was filled with shelves and parts to fix washers and dryers, to the right was an old staircase, the white linoleum was chipped and scuffed.

"Up we go."

Edward took my hand again and we walked up three flights of stairs, past a few more office doors to an emergency exit.

"The alarm is off," Edward said as he pushed the door open to the night sky.

Stepping out of the building onto the roof I took in the twinkling white lights that were strung across part of the roof in a canopy over a small picnic table draped in a black cloth.

"Wow," walking forward I noticed the empty flower vase at the side of the table, "For these?"

"I figured you'd want a place to put them until we were done."

I set the flowers into the glass and looked around once more. Music played softly from a small stereo where he had his phone docked and there was what looked to be a food card with several covered trays.

"After you." Edward encouraged me to sit at the table before pouring a glass of wine for each of us.

"Wine is okay?"

"Oh yes. Wine is perfect," I replied, sipping from the glass. Being on an actual date was a lot more nerve-wracking than chatting and doing laundry.

"Great," he set the bottle down and reached for a tray, lifting the lid from a plate of what looked like lasagna.

"Oh dear lord, my favorite."

Edward laughed, "I take it you approve of dinner?"

"More than you know."

"Well," he continued as he placed a small salad alongside the lasagna dish, "You should know that I did not make this myself. I know a guy," he said with a wink.

"Well, it smells like the guy knows what he's doing."

After Edward sat, I couldn't help but dig in and notice right away that this particular lasagna was familiar in a way that left me slightly speechless.

"Umm, your guy that you know, where does he work?"

"Well, he's actually the owner of a restaurant, Bella Cigna, have you been?" He paused a moment and laughed. "I promise I didn't pick it because of the name. I've been eating there for years, the owner, Charlie, great guy, sells the beer that I brew."

"Okay. Wait one second," I put my fork down. "You've been coming to Bella Cigna for years? They sell your beer?"

"Yes. Are you okay?"

"Yeh, no, I'm fine. It's just that Charlie is my dad."

"Excuse me?"

"Yeh, the Beautiful Swan, Bella Cigna, that's my dad's restaurant. This is his lasagna, I'd know it anywhere."

"What a small world, Bella Swan. And now I know why that green crayon scribbling of you name in that Calvin and Hobbes book sounded familiar."

Edward steepled his fingers, resting his chin on their tips.

"Small world indeed, Edward...?"

"Cullen. Edward Cullen."

"You wouldn't happen to be the owner of the best IPA in town, I believe the label reads, 'London Calling'?"

"Now I _am_ impressed," an amused smile spread across his handsome face as he sat forward, "Yes, that would be mine."

"I love it."

"I'm glad that you do."

"Wow. This is so surreal. My dad is going to wax poetic about fate and my mom is going to have us married with two point five children in no time."

I blinked a few times before realizing I had actually said that out loud.

"I'm sorry. No. I mean, I didn't mean to say that out loud." I groaned and stared at the plate of food now taunting me as my mortification grew. "I'm not looking to trap you in a marriage with kids or anything like that. I'm not desperate to get married. I'm just making this worse; my foot is already in my mouth, may as well add another. My god shut up, woman!" I rested my forehead in my palm and bemoaned my horrible nervousness.

"Bella, it's fine." Edward was laughing softly. "Really, I don't mind."

His hand touched mine and I looked up at him.

"You're really pretty when you blush."

Immediately my hands went to my cheeks trying to calm the burn.

"Yes, blotchiness is in these days." I laughed in spite of myself.

Edward laughed and picked up his wine glass, "To dirty laundry and pretty girls who talk to strange men who love comic books."

"To dirty laundry and pretty boys who talk to awkward girls." I beamed as our glasses touched.


End file.
